Close call in Cucamonga
Published on May 12, 2004 under California League (CalL1)
Visalia Rawhide News Release
RANCHO CUCAMONGA â Something had to give â the Oaks came into Tuesday's game in Rancho Cucamonga 5-5 on the road, but 0-6 against Southern Division opponents. The South Division stat won. Visalia dropped below .500 away from home with a 3-2 loss to the Quakes.
The Oaks had the tying run at second base with one out in the ninth inning. Ryan Spilborghs scored from third on a play that could have easily ended the game.
Bernier Gonzalez was at second and Spilborghs was at third with Alvin Colina at the plate and one out. Colina hit a ground ball back to pitcher Von Stertzbach, who turned and looked to the left side of the infield, freezing both runners. Stertzbach threw to second and Gonzalez ran to third, where he was tagged out while Spilborghs was still at third base. Then Quakes shortstop Erick Aybar threw to the first baseman, Greg Porter, because Colina had ventured a third of the way to second. Porter chased Colina toward second. If Colina were tagged out, the game would have been over. Instead, the Quakes threw home and were unable to retire Sprilborgh before he crossed the plate and Visalia trimmed Rancho Cucamonga's lead to 3-2.
With pinch runner K. J. Hendricks at second, pinch hitter Bryan Peck struck out to end the game.
Michael Napoli pushed his California League leading totals of home runs to ten and RBI to 34 with a two-run shot off Oaks starting pitcher Ben Crockett in the first inning to put the Quakes in front, 2-0.
Rancho Cucamonga added to the lead with a sacrifice fly from Pavkovich in the fourth and the edge was 3-0.
Brian Barre, in his first game of the season with the Oaks, launched a solo home to run the right in the seventh to put Visalia on the board but trailing, 3-1.
Crocket pitched seven innings and allowed all three Quakes runs to take the loss and fall to 1-4.
Rancho Cucamonga starter Phil Wilson had his best outing of the season. He entered the game with a 9.10 ERA but shutout the oaks on three hits over the first six innings of the game. Chris Young struck out three in a scoreless eighth inning of work for the Oaks.
Every Other: Visalia has won, then lost every other game since game two of a doubleheader on May 1, which completed a doubleheader sweep over Stockton.
More Versus the Quakes: The three game series continues Wednesday as Visalia continues to search for its first win against the South.
California League Stories from May 12, 2004
- Stauffer Promoted to Class-AA Mobile - Lake Elsinore Storm
- Upcoming Mavs Homestand - High Desert Mavericks
- Close call in Cucamonga - Visalia Rawhide
- JetHawks Drop Series Opener 4-2 to Storm - Lancaster JetHawks
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